Air oe water wheel



3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

S.0R0GKBR. AIR 0R WATER WHEEL.

No. 592,080 Patented Oct. 19,1897.

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S. CROCKER. AIR 0R WATER WHEEL.

No. 592,080. Patented ont. 1,1 897.

(No Model.)

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Nrrnn STATES PATENT Enron- AIR OR WATERWHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part f YLettersY Patent No.V 592,080, datedOctober 1897.

Application filed October 17, 1896. Serial No. 609,237. (No model.) y

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL CROOKER, a citizen ofthe UnitedStates',residing at Oklahoma,

in the county of Oklahoma and Territory of Oklahoma, have invented a newand useful Air or Water Wheel, of Vwhich the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to power wheels which are adapted to be operatedby currents of fluid orair, and the principal object is to convert amaximum percentage of the force in an inoperative position.

of the current into useful" energy for industrial purposes, and to thisend the paddles are mounted so as to float or feather, whereby whenreturning to an active position they will e offer a minimumamount ofresistance to the passage of the current by the wheel.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide means for locking oneor more of the paddles, whereby the effective force of the wheel may bevaried o'r the wheel brought toi a standstill when all the paddles aresecured By this means the power of the wheel can be regulatedto suit theload or work for which the'wheel is required.- f

A still further purpose is to devise a simple and effective means foreffectingalocking and releasing of the paddles without necessitating thestopping of the wheel when it is in operation, said means being whollyun-` der the control of an attendant and adapted to be operated forsecuring any one or more of the paddles in an inactive position.v

Objects and advantages other thanthose hereinnoted are contemplated andwillsuggest themselves to those skilled in the construction andoperation of power-wheels of this class, and to this end reference is tobe had to the following description and the accompanying drawings. A

The improvement is susceptible of various changes in the form,proportion, and the minor details of construction withoutdepartingfromthe vprincipleor sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and to afull disclosure of the invention anada'ptatio'nthereof is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of apowerwheel of special construction embodying the principles of thisinvention. tical section thereof.' Fig. 3 is a transverse vofcurrent-power, whether liquid orV air. `will be also understood that theWheel may be single, double, or increased according to Fig. 2 is a ver-ysection on the line x w of Fig, 2,.looking in the direction ofthe arrow.Fig; 4 is -a detail section showing more .clearly the relation of thelocking devices and one of the latter holding a paddle out of workingposition. Figs. 5 are detail views of a stay-bar as seen from the innerside and in transverse section. Fig. 6 is a detail view of `a lock-bar.Fig. 7 is a detail view of a guide for the inner end of a lock-bar. Fig.8 is a detail viewpof a radial arm.v Fig. v9 is a detail viewof an endhub. Fig. l0 is a detail view of an intermediate h ub. Fig. 1l is adetail view of a different means for operating the lock-bars.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in the several views of the accompanyingdrawings by the sameV reference-characters. The power-Wheel is of theundershottype and in practice will be mounted as found Imost convenientaccording'to the location,

the surrounding conditions, and the character It the power required, andthat it may have a single row of paddles or more if desired. YIn thedrawings the wheel illustratedis double,

or tiers, an outer and an inner series.j

The shaft l, upon whichthe wheel is mounted, is shown j ournaled inbearings applied vto a framework 2 of ordinary construction,

and is provided at one end with a bandwheel `3, by means of which'thepower is transmitand the paddles areprovided in twotseries e 4, heads 5,radial arms 6, secured at theirinner ends to the hubs and having theheads fastened thereto, stay-bars 7, connecting the outer ends ofcorresponding arms 6, and paddles 8, the latter being hinged at theirinner ends and operating between the heads and supported against theforce of the current by the arms 6. A

The hubs 4 are secured Vto the shaft l in any substantial manner and maybe of desired form, the perimeter being composed of a series of straightedges against which the inner ends of the segmental sections comprisingthe heads 5 abut, and these hubs are IOO formed on their inner faceswith radial seats 9, into which the inner ends of the arms 6 are fittedand secured by being bolted or riveted thereto, the seats 9 being formedbetween parallel flanges or ribs. The arms 6 have flanges at theirlongitudinal edges, thereby enabling them to be comparatively light andsufficiently stout to resist lateral pressure. The heads 5 areconstructed of segmental sections having their meeting edges halvedtogether and bolted or other wise fastened to the arms 6. To givestiffness and rigidity to the heads, the latter are reinforced by ringsor bands 10, made fast to their peripheral edge portion. Then the wheelsare to be duplicated or provided in series, the intermediate hub or hubs1l are constructed substantially like the end hubs 4, the onlydilference being that both faces are provided with seats 12,corresponding to the seats 9, in which the intermediate arms are securedsimilar to the arms applied to the seats 9, and the intermediatepartition 13 is secured between companion arms,as clearly indicated inthe drawings.

The paddles S are hinged at theirinner ends to rods 14, supported attheir ends in the heads 5, and are of a width to fit snugly between theheads without binding when turning upon the rods 14, and these paddlesare of a length to reach from one set of arms to the other when foldingbackward upon leaving the power-current. Vhen in an operative position,the edge portions of the paddles bear against the flanges of the armsadjacent to the rods upon which the paddles are mounted, said flangesforming stops to sustain the paddles against the action of the currentwhen the latter is impelling the paddles forward.

Guides 15 are secured to the arms 6 and consist of plates having anintermediate edge portion cut away, as shown at 16, which forms a spacewith the edge of the arms in which the bent end 17 of the lock-bars 18operates. An outer end portion of the plates is bent, as shown at 19,and is apertured for the inner end of the lock-bars to operate freelytherethrough. The outer end of the lock-bars is iiattened, as shown at20, and operates in elongated openings 2l near the ends of the stay-bars, and the outer extremities are threaded and receive nuts 22, whichform stops to limit the inward movement of the lock-bars. Springs 23, ofsubstantially V form, have their outer members secured between the bentends of the stay-bars 7 and the outer ends of the arms 6, and theirinner members exert a lateral pressure against the outer ends of thelock-bars, so that when the latter are moved inward to cause theflattened portion 20 to clear the innerside of the stay-bars the saidlock-bars will be moved laterally to cause the ends of the fiattenedportions 20 to engage with the stay-bars and hold the lock-bars in theirwithdrawn position against the tension of springs 24, mounted thereonand confined between stops 25, applied to the lock-bars and the outerends 19 of the guides 15. The stops 22 limit the inward movement of thelock-bars and form projections to be engaged when it is required to movethe lock-bars laterally, so as to disengage the ends of the flattenedparts 2O from the stay-bars. At this instant the springs 2l, regainingthemselves, will move the lock-bars outward and withdraw their innerends 17 from engagement with the paddles and permit thelatter toautomaticallyreturn to a normal or working position at the proper time.It will be understood that a lock-bar is provided foreach paddle, andwhen the paddles are supplied in tiers or series the lockbars will be ofdifferent length, so that their inner ends 17 will reach and engage withthe respective paddles whenit is required to hold them against movementinto an operative position. Theparts are so disposed that when theiattened ends 2O of the lock-bars are projccted their inner ends 17 willbe withdrawn from the path of the free ends of the paddles, and when thelock-bars are pushed inward their ends 17 will engage with the paddlesand hold them inactive and out of working position.

As previously stated, the power-wheel is of the undershot type, andthe'paddles are disposed so that as they ascend from the current theyturn to accommodate themselves to the current and offer a minimum amountof resistance to the forward movement of the wheel, and these paddles asthey approach a working posit-ion to again enter the current return toan operative position to receive the force of the current and transmitthe same to the wheel, from which the power is taken in the ordinaryway, as previously stated. In order to prevent the jar and noiseresulting from the paddles striking the arms, a bowspring or buffer 26is applied to each stay-bar and is secured thereto at a middle point bya clamp or hooked bolt 27, passing through an opening in the stay-barand having a nut at its threaded end. lins 2S are provided on thestay-bar equidistant from the fastening 27 and out of line therewith,and hold the buffer-spring in position to receive the impact of thepaddles when the latter assume a working position. The terminals of thespring 26 project beyond the plane of the stay/bars and the adjacentarms, so as to receive and cushion the blow of the paddles. A cross baror rail 29 is located within convenient reach, and a lever 30 is mountedthereon to be grasped when it is required to operate the lock-bars, andthis lever is adapted to slide, tilt, and rock upon the rod 29 to enableits active end to be projected within the path of the lock-bar to beoperated upon. For moving a lock-bar inward the lever 30 is adjusted soit will. engage with the outer end of the lock-bar and push the latterinward against the tension of its spring 21, and when the end of theiiattened part 20 clears the inner side IOO of the stay-bar the spring23 will move the lock-bar, so as to cause the outer end of the part 2Oto engage with the inner side of the stay-bar and thereby hold the innerend 17 of the lock-bar against the paddle and prevent the latter fromreturning to a Working position. To release the lock-bar, the lever isadjusted so its side will strike against the inner edge of the nut I22and move the lock-bar outward, so as to disengage the end of the 'part2O from the stay-bar, when the spring 24, regaining itself, will movethe lock-bar outward and thereby release the paddle previously locked.The position of the lever 30 is iixed by means of a pin 3l thrustthrough one of a series of openings 32 in the rod 29,

and in order to prevent the loss of the pin 3l a short chain 33 isattached thereto and an end link is slipped upon the rod 29. Instead ofthe lever 30 a hammer 34 maybe employed, as shown in Fig. ll, the hammerbeing used Vin a manner similar to the lever 30.

When the wheels are duplicated, as shown in the drawings, or provided inseries, the paddles may be arranged to aline transversely or toalternate, and in the latter case the seats on one side of theintermediate hub will be disposed opposite the spaces between the seatson the other side. This arrangement of the paddles may -be advantageousunder some conditions, and is contemplated Within the scope of theinvention.

I-Iaving thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is l. In apower-wheel, the combination of radial arms, .paddles bearing at theiredges against the arms and held in working position thereby, and hingedat their inner ends and of a length to engage with the adjacent armswhen out of action, and independently-operated locking means for eachpaddle acting jointly with the arms to hold any desired paddle orpaddles out of action, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.-

2. In a power-Wheel, the combination of radial arms, an inner and anouter series of paddles supported at their edges by the arms and pivotedat their inner ends, and of a length to extend across the space betweenadjacent arms when out of action, and independentlyoperated lookin gmeans for each series of paddles and for the several paddles of theseries to admit of either series of paddles or any paddle or number ofpaddles of the series being held out of actionand released when desiredfor service, substantially as set forth.Y

3. In a power-wheel, the combination of a hub having radial seats, armshaving their edges iianged and securedat their inner ends in the seatsof the hub, a head composed of sections which are secured to the arms, areinforcing ring or band applied to the peripheral edge portion of thehead, and paddles limited in their movement and supported in a Workin gposition by the iianged edges of the arms, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a power-wheel, the combination of raclamps connecting the springsat a middle point to the stay-bars, and pins applied to the stay-bars atpoints equidistant from the clamps for holding thel bow-springs inproper position to receive the impact of the paddles, substantially asset-forth.

6. In a power-wheel, the combination with hinged paddles, of a lock-barfor each paddle slidably mounted in guides and havingits end extended,and means t-o be projected across the extended ends of the lock-bars forseverally operating them to secure or release any of the paddles,substantially as set forth.

7. In a power-wheel, the combination with hinged paddles, of alongitudinally-movable lock-bar for each paddle, a spring for everylock-bar for holding it projected, means for depressing the lock-barsindividually, and means for securing the lock-bars in a depressedposition, substantially as described.

8. In a power-wheel, the combination with hinged paddles, of alongitudinally-movable lock-bar adapted to be projected within the pathof a paddle, means for securing the lock-bar in a depressed position,and a spring for returning the lock-bar to a normal position whenreleased, substantially as described.

9. In a power-wheel, the combination of hinged paddles, a longitudinallymovable lock-bar for holding a paddle out of working position and havinga lateral extension near its outer end, and a spring exerting a lateralpressure against the lock-bar to force the said lateral extension intoengagement with a portion of the Wheel,whereby the lock-bar will be helddepressed, substantially as set forth.

10. In a power-wheel, the combination of hinged paddles, stay-bars,lock-bars operating through the stay-bars and having lateral extensions,springs for projecting the lockbars outward, and other springs exertinga lateral pressureagainst the lock-bars to force the lateral extensionsthereof in engagement with the stay-bars, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

1l. In a power-wheel, the combination of hinged paddles, guides adjacentto the free ends of the paddles, stay-bars, lock-bars operating throughthe stay-bars and having their inner ends bent and operating in the saidguides, and means for operating the lockbars, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

12. In a power-wheel, the combination with IOO IIO

planes, of a cross-bar, a lever slidably mounted upon the cross-bar, apin adapted to be engaged with the cross-bar, and a connection slidablymounted upon the cross-bar and secured to the said pin, substantially asset forth. v

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aTiXedmysgnaturein the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL CROCKER.

Witnesses:

FRANKLIN SPRINGER, WHIT M. GROUT.

